Caladium plant named ‘Sangria’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘Sangria’, characterized by its short to intermediate in height, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; undulate lance-type leaves that have rose red-colored centers and contrasting dark green-colored margins; and good landscape performance.

Botanical designation: Caladium×hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SANGRIA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a lance (strap) leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sangria’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2008 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium×hortulanum ‘John Peed’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium×hortulanum ‘White Wonder’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,044, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. on September, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by ‘chipping’ the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Lake Placid, Fla. since April, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sangria’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sangria’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Short to intermediate in height, upright and uniformly         mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Undulate lance-type leaves that have rose red-colored centers         and contrasting dark green-colored margins.     -   4. Good landscape performance and relatively tolerant to high         light conditions.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘John Peed’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are slightly shorter than plants         of ‘John Peed’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium are faster growing and produce         finished plants about one week earlier than plants of ‘John         Peed’.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘John Peed’ differ in leaf         shape and color as leaves of plants of ‘John Peed’ are         fancy-types with dark red-colored centers and dark green-colored         margins.     -   4. Plants of the Caladium and ‘John Peed’ differ in leaf petiole         coloration.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘White Wonder’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are slightly taller than plants of         ‘White Wonder’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium are slower growing and produce         finished plants about one week later than plants of ‘White         Wonder’.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Wonder’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of plants of ‘White Wonder’ are white to         grey-green in color with red-colored basal notches, light pink         to white-colored venation and dark green-colored borders.     -   4. Plants of the Caladium and ‘White Wonder’ differ in leaf         petiole coloration.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium×hortulanum ‘Florida Sweetheart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,526. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differed primarily from plants of ‘Florida Sweetheart’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were slightly taller than plants         of ‘Florida Sweetheart’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium were faster-growing and produced         finished plants about one week earlier than plants of ‘Florida         Sweetheart’.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Sweetheart’ differed         in leaf color as leaves of plants of ‘Florida Sweetheart’ were         pink in color with greenish white-colored margins and rose         pink-colored venation.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Sweetheart’ differed         in leaf petiole color.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium×hortulanum ‘Rosemary’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,993. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differed primarily from plants of ‘Rosemary’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were shorter than plants of         ‘Rosemary’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium produced finished plants about one         week later than plants of ‘Rosemary’.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Rosemary’ differed in leaf         color as leaves of plants of ‘Rosemary’ had rose red-colored         centers with mottled light and dark green-colored borders.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Rosemary’ differed in leaf         petiole color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Sangria’ in a 15-cm container and grown in a shadehouse.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘Sangria’ grown in an open field.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers and roots of ‘Sangria’ plants.

The photograph on the third sheet is close-up view of developing and fully developed inflorescences of ‘Sangria’.

The photograph at the top of the fourth sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘John Peed’ (left), ‘Sangria’ (center) and the male parent, ‘White Wonder’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the fourth sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Florida Sweetheart’ (left), ‘Sangria’ (center) and ‘Rosemary’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C. (shadehouse) or 28° C. to 33° C. (outdoor nursery), night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. (shadehouse) or 22° C. to 25° C. (outdoor nursery) and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles (shadehouse) or 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles (outdoor nursery). Plants grown in the shadehouse were seven weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were eight months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium×hortulanum ‘Sangria’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘John Peed’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘White Wonder’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,044. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented and somewhat flattened;             individual segments elliptic to ovate in shape. Height:             About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 3.7 cm. Segment height: About             2.3 cm. Segment diameter: About 2.3 cm. Texture: Thick,             starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Epidermis,             freshly-harvested: Close to 199D tinged with close to N199D.             Epidermis, dried: Close to 200A to 200B. Cortical tissue:             Close to 3D. Axillary buds: Close to 36A to 36B. Root             description: Thick, fleshy contractile roots; color, close             to 155C, proximally, faintly tinged with close to 182B to             182C. Rooting habit: Medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Short to intermediate in height,             upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous and             dense growth habit; rapid growth rate, potted plants in             finished or saleable form in about seven to eight weeks             after planting tubers; leaf petioles and leaves arise from             one or more growing points on tubers; petioles mostly             upright and leaning outwardly with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 19 cm to 22 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescences,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 48 cm to 50 cm.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About three to four shoots develop per #1 tuber.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About 7             cm to 10 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm to 1.8 cm. Shape:             Wedge-shaped. Apex: Acute. Base: Sheathing the stem. Color,             inner surface: Close to between N155C and N170D. Color,             outer surface: Close to N170D tinged with close to 38D and             streaked and stippled with close to N199A; with development,             color becoming closer to 199B stained with close to 187C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; lance-type.         -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 16 cm to 22             cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants, flattened.—About 13             cm to 17 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate, tending towards deltoid.         -   Apex.—Acuminate to acute.         -   Base.—Sagittate to sagittate-peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; wavy with broad undulations.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; somewhat rigid;             dull sheen.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glaucous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing and fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Main colors: Center, close             to 53B tinged with close to 59C; towards the margins, close             to 185A; margins, close to 147A and N189A; narrow leaf edge,             close to 187B. Basal notch: Close to 53B tinged with closer             to 59C. Midrib and primary venation: Close to between 53A             and 187C. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Main colors: Center, close to between 59A and 187B;             towards the margins, close to 191A; narrow leaf edge, close             to 187B. Basal notch: Close to between 59A and 187B. Midrib             and primary venation: Close to 183A to 183B and 187B.         -   Petiole.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight; with             development, leaning outwardly and curving; flexible.             Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 18 cm to             21 cm. Diameter, distal, shadehouse-grown potted plants:             About 3.5 mm to 4 mm. Diameter, proximal, shadehouse-grown             potted plants: About 6 mm to 10 mm. Color, shadehouse-grown             potted plants, Just below the leaf and petiole junction:             Close to 181A streaked with close to 184B; occasionally,             variably striped with close to 200A. Overall: Close to 182C             to 182D tessellated, streaked and stippled with close to             200C tinged with close to 147A to 147B; occasionally,             variably striped with close to 200A. Wing length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 5 cm to 7 cm. Wing             diameter, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 5 mm to             12 mm. Wing color, shadehouse-grown potted plants, inner             surface: Close to between N170D and N155C. Wing color,             shadehouse-grown potted plants, outer surface: Close to 181D             variably streaked and stippled with close to 200C to 200D             tinged with close to 147B. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences observed on eight week-old     shadehouse-grown potted plants.     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Upright hooded spathes             surrounding a columnar spadix borne on a tall upright scape;             spadix with sessile, simple female and male flowers             separated into two zones; female flowers develop on the             lower one-third of the spadix; male flowers develop on the             upper two-thirds of the spadix; sterile flowers develop at             junction of female and male flower zones; near this             junction, the spathe constricts and surrounds and encloses             the female flowers; spathe open and cupped around male             flowers.         -   Fragrance.—Night-fragrant; sweet, jasmine-like with camphor             note.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants of the             new Caladium typically flower during the spring in central             Florida; flowers develop about eight weeks after growth             commences; inflorescences last about three days before             fading; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length, overall: About 9.3 cm. Length, distal open             portion: About 6.5 cm. Length, proximal closed portion:             About 2.8 cm. Width, distal open portion: About 3.2 cm.             Width, at constriction: About 1.7 cm. Width, proximal closed             portion: About 2.9 cm. Shape: Obovate to elliptic. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, front and             rear surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, front surface:             Distal open portion: Close to 159C; towards the margins,             faintly tinged with close to 185D; with development, color             becoming closer to 199D and N170D. Proximal closed portion:             Close to 138C; distally, darkly flushed with close to N186C;             color does not change with development. Color, rear surface:             Distal open portion: Close to between 160D and 159D; towards             the margins, faintly tinged with close to 185D; color does             not change with development. Proximal closed portion: Close             to 147B to 147C and 138B flushed with close to 184B and             185D; color does not change with development.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 7.9 cm. Length, male flower zone:             About 5 cm. Length, sterile zone: About 1.3 cm. Length,             female flower zone: About 1.6 cm. Diameter, male flower             zone: About 9 mm. Diameter, sterile flower zone: About 7 mm.             Diameter, female flower zone: About 8 mm. Shape: Columnar.             Apex: Obtuse to bluntly acute. Base: Obtuse. Aspect:             Upright. Color, mature, male zone: Close to 158B and 18D.             Color, mature, sterile zone: Close to 158B. Color, mature,             female zone: Close to 20D and 37D. Male flowers: Quantity             per spadix: About 120. Shape: Obovate. Height: About 3 mm.             Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 6D. Female flowers: Quantity per spadix:             About 109. Shape: Obovate. Height: About 2.5 mm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Stigma color: Close to 20D. Ovary color: Close             to 37D.         -   Scape.—Length: About 20.7 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Strength: Sturdy; flexible. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous; glaucous. Color, just below spathe: Close             to 177D and 182D tinged and streaked with close to 184B.             Color, overall: Close to 177D and 182D, streaked, stippled             and tessellated with close to 200C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Disease & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have above average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot     and to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘Sangria’ as illustrated and described. 